Key pads for musical instruments



Jan. 14, 1969 GREENLEAF ET AL 3,421,399

KEY PADS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Aug. 8, 1967 IVLUGYLZUTSIJlelandfi Green/Zeal, James]? moQyBrz a M 7 17 (22226.

United States Patent 3,421,399 KEY PADS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS LelandB. Greeuleaf, Elkhart, and James Timothy Bryant, Goshen, Ind., assignorsto C. G. Conn Ltd., Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Aug.8, 1967, Ser. No. 659,110 US. Cl. 84-380 Int. 'Cl. Gd 7/00 7 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background 0 the invention Key pads are usedto cover tone openings in the body of musical instruments, such assaxophones, to control the effective length of the instruments tothereby determine the frequency of the musical tone produced thereby.Such pads are supported in cup members attached to arms pivotallymounted on the body of the instrument. A lever mechanism may be used foroperating the arm, or the back of the cup member may be directly engagedby the musician playing the instrument.

It is desired that the sealing surface 'of the pad be accurately alignedwith the edge of the tone opening to completely close the opening.Various pivotal mounting structures have been provided for the pads toprovide such alignment, but in these structures the pad can be easilymoved out of the aligned position. The key pads have been secured in thecup supporting member by plastic material such as wax, and although thismaterial when soft permits movements of the pad for alignment, it isdifficult to accurately align the pad at the proper position in the cupso that it can be held in such position by the wax.

Summary of the invention It is an object of the present invention toprovide a key pad structure which facilitates the alignment of a pad inits supporting cup and wherein the pad is held in the desired alignedposition.

A further object is to provide a key pad for a musical instrument with apivotal arrangement permitting the pad to rock in the supporting cup andwith plastic material holding the pad in aligned position duringrepeated use.

In practicing the invention a key pad is provided for a musicalinstrument, such as a saxophone, for closing a tone opening in the bodyof the instrument. The pad is supported in a cup-shaped member attachedto an arm pivotally mounted on the body of the instrument. Engagementbetween the pad and the cup is provided by a portion which permits thepad to rock in the cup so that the sealing surface thereof can beaccurately aligned with the edge of the tone opening. Plastic materialis positioned between the pad and the cup to hold the pad in the alignedposition so that it will remain in fixed position after repeated use.

Brief Description of the drawings The invention is illustrated in thedrawings wherein: FIG. 1 illustrates the pad and support of theinvention "ice on the body of a musical instrument having at oneopening;

FIG. 2 is the cross sectional view of the pad of FIG. 1;

and

FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 show alternate embodiments of the pad constructionof the invention.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment In FIG. 1 there isillustrated a portion of the body 10 of a musical instrument, which maybe a wood wind instrument such as a saxophone. The body 10 is made ofmetal, plastic or wood and has an opening 11 therein with an edge 12extending in a single plane. A pad 15 is provided for engaging the edge12 to close the opening 11. The pad has a surface 16 for engaging theedge 12 formed of fish skin, leather, or synthetic material which may beof known construction. The pad has a support plate 17 on the oppositeside having a generally conical extension 18 at the center thereof. Thesupport plate 17 and extension 18 may be integrally formed of metal ormolded plastic. The tone openings and pads therefor are commonly round,but can be of any desire-d configuration.

The cup shaped member 20 for receiving the pad 15 is attached to a pivotarm 21. The arm is pivoted on pin 22 secured to a post 23 mounted to thebody 10 of the instrument. A lever system may be provided for moving thearm 21, or the cup 20 may be engaged by the fingers of the musician toactuate the arm. A spring may be used to hold the arm outward of thebody so that the pad 15 is spaced from the edge 12 and the opening isnot covered.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conical projecting portion 18 extendingfrom the pad supporting plate 17 rests in a socket 25 in the cup shapedmember 20, and can rock therein, so that the sealing surface 16 of thepad can be tilted to be accurately aligned with the edge 12 of the toneopening when the pad is in engagement therewith. By providing suchtilting movement, inaccuracies in the construction of the various partscan be compensated for. The material of the surface of the pad has someresilience to compensate for minor irregularities in the edge 12 of theopening.

Plastic bonding material 30 is positioned in the cup 20 and fills thespace between the back plate 17 of the pad and the cup shaped member 20.This plastic material may be any known material such as shellac, wax ora hot-melt adhesive which can be applied in a pliable plastic form andwhich hardens to hold the pad in fixed position within the cup 20. Theplastic material must harden at normal temperatures encountered to holdthe pad in fixed position in the cup. Preferably the plastic materialshould soften at a temperature somewhat above that encountered in normaluse so that the pad can be re-aligned if necessary by heating theplastic material.

FIG. 3 shows a construction wherein a post or stud 32 having a roundedend is used in place of the conical portion 18. The post 32 is securedto the back plate 17 of the pad, and plastic bonding material 30 in thespace between the plate 17 and the cup 20 hardens at normal temperaturesencountered to hold the pad in fixed position within the cup.

FIG. 4 shows a different embodiment wherein a ball 34 is used to providethe rocking engagement, which is not secured to either the supportingplate 17 of the pad or to the cup shaped member 20. Alternately the ballcan be mounted to either the plate 17 or to the cup 20 and still providethe self-aligning action.

FIG. 5 shows a construction wherein a post 36 is secured to the cupmember 20 at the center of the bottom thereof. The plate 17 engages therounded edge of the post 36 to permit tilting of the pad 15 for aligningthe same with the edge of the tone openings.

In FIG. 6 a threaded stud or screw 40 is secured into a tapped boss 41secured to the bottom of the cup 20 at the center thereof. The screw 40extends through an opening in the pad 15 and has a head with a roundedback surface 42 which co-operates with a complementary rounded surfaceon the pad. This permits the pad 15 to rock about the head of the screwso that the surface 16 can be aligned with the edge of the tone opening.Plastic material 30 is positioned between the back plate 17 of the padand the cup 20 which will initially be soft so it can flow for alignmentof the pad, and which hardens at normal operating temperatures to holdthe pad in fixed position.

The construction of the invention includes a pivotal connection betweenthe pad and the supporting cup which facilitates alignment of the pad,while holding the pad at the desired position within the cup. Theplastic material between the pad and the cup allows the pad to be tiltedand then holds the pad in fixed position. This construction makes itmuch easier to accurately position the pad than a construction whereinthere is no pivotal engagement between the pad and the cup, and theplastic material is compressed by the aligning engagement and tends towork out about the edges of the pad. In the construction of theinvention the plastic material is pliable and flows slightly to permitadjustment of the pad. The material then hardens to prevent unintendedmovement of the pad which can take place when a pivotal mounting is usedalone.

We claim: I

1. A musical instrument having a body with a tone opening therein, a keypad for covering said opening including in combination, a cup member,means for I pivotally mounting said cup member on the body of theinstrument, a pad having a surface on one side thereof for engaging theedge of the tone opening for closing the same, means on the other sideof said pad in engagement with said cup member to facilitate positioningsaid pad at various angular positions withrespectto said cup member, andplastic material positioned between said pad and is pliable at atemperature above room temperature 7 to facilitate alignment of saidsurface of said pad.

3. A key pad in accordance with claim 1 including a projection extendingfrom said other side of said pad into engagement with said cup member.

4. A key pad in accordance with claim 3 in which said projection is of agenerally conical Configuration.

5. A key pad in accordance with claim 1 including a ball positionedbetween said other side of said pad and said cup member.

6. A key pad in accordance with claim 1 including a post. secured tosaid cup member and having a rounded surface engaging said other side ofsaid pad.

7. A key pad in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pa d has a openingtherein, and including a screw extending through said opening and a studfor receiving said screw securedto said cup member, said screw having ahead with a rounded back surface and said pad having a complementaryrounded surface cooperating therewith to permit rocking movement of saidpad with respect to said cup.

' References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,786,833 12/1930 Dytch 84-385x RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. J. F. GONZALES, AssistantExaminer.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 84-385

